Jackson Jr. mum amid plea deal reports

Jackson Jr. mum amid plea deal reports

With his lawyers seeking the least-damaging end to a federal corruption investigation against him, former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. maintained his silence Friday amid reports he had agreed to terms to plead guilty to misusing his campaign funds.

Jackson’s lawyers in Washington also declined to comment, though his legal team previously has said it was in negotiations to end the case. When he stepped down from the seat he had held for 17 years last fall, Jackson said he would “accept responsibility for my mistakes” and would cooperate with the government on a resolution.

Sources with knowledge of the situation said there had been no closed-door court hearing on the matter, no public documents filed and no court date set, making any media reports that Jackson already had entered a guilty plea premature.